134 NATURE 
LitTLE BLueE-sTeEm (left), 
Bic BLuE-sTEM (right) 
STUDY AND AGRICULTURE 
and is found on prairies, ravines, and 
river bottoms where the soil is rich and 
moist. 
Little Blue-stem: Broom _ Beard- 
grass. — This has a stem with purplish 
joints like the preceding, but is a much 
smaller plant. The “heads” are small, 
loose spikes, arranged singly along the 
stem. It grows in dense bunches, and, 
when headed out, the top of the clump 
has a fuzzy or hairy appearance. Cattle 
eat it early in the season, but it soon 
becomes too tough. 
Wild Rye: Nodding Wild Rye. — 
This bears a close resemblance to ordi- 
nary field rye, except that it is not so 
tall. It affords excellent pasture and hay. 
Grama Grass: Muskit Grass. — In some sections this is 
also called “‘ buffalo grass,”’ though that name belongs properly 
to the next species. 
It is an important 
pasture grass on the western prairies espe- 
cially on the great ranges, where it “sun 
cures ” and then continues to furnish forage 
for stock in winter. 
Buffalo Grass. — This famous grass of the 
western cattle ranges is usually not over four 
or five inches in height. It resembles the 
preceding species and is often mistaken for 
it. Its curly leaves and creeping stems 
often form a dense mat on the ground. 
Stock is very fond of it, and it affords ex- 
cellent forage in winter as well as summer. 
Witp RYE 
